settle

Plural: settles

Noun

a long wooden bench with a back
A seat of any kind.
A long bench with a high back and arms, often with chest or storage space underneath.
A place made lower than the rest; a wide step or platform lower than some other part. (Compare a depression.)

Verb

Verb Forms: settled, settling, settles

To resolve a dispute; to make stable; to take up residence.
settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground
- "dust settled on the roofs"
bring to an end; settle conclusively
settle conclusively; come to terms
- "We finally settled the argument"
take up residence and become established
- "The immigrants settled in the Midwest"
come to terms
go under,
become settled or established and stable in one's residence or life style
- "He finally settled down"
become resolved, fixed, established, or quiet
- "The roar settled to a thunder"
- "The wind settled in the West"
- "A cough settled in her chest"
- "Her mood settled into lethargy"
establish or develop as a residence
- "He settled the farm 200 years ago"
- "This land was settled by Germans"
come to rest
arrange or fix in the desired order
- "She settled the teacart"
accept despite lack of complete satisfaction
- "We settled for a lower price"
end a legal dispute by arriving at a settlement
- "The two parties finally settled"
dispose of; make a financial settlement
become clear by the sinking of particles
- "the liquid gradually settled"
cause to become clear by forming a sediment (of liquids)
sink down or precipitate
fix firmly
get one's revenge for a wrong or an injury
- "I finally settled with my old enemy"
make final; put the last touches on; put into final form
form a community
- "The Swedes settled in Minnesota"
come as if by falling
To conclude or resolve (something):
To determine (something which was exposed to doubt or question); to resolve conclusively; to set or fix (a time, an order of succession, etc).
To conclude or resolve (something):
To conclude, to cause (a dispute) to finish.
To conclude or resolve (something):
To conclude, to cause (a dispute) to finish.
In particular, to terminate (a lawsuit), usually out of court, by agreement of all parties.
To conclude or resolve (something):
To close, liquidate or balance (an account) by payment, sometimes of less than is owed or due.
To conclude or resolve (something):
To pay (a bill).
To conclude or resolve (something):
To adjust differences or accounts; to come to an agreement on matters in dispute.
To conclude or resolve (something):
To conclude a lawsuit by agreement of the parties rather than a decision of a court.
To place or arrange in(to) a desired (especially: calm) state, or make final disposition of (something).
To place or arrange in(to) a desired (especially: calm) state, or make final disposition of (something).
To put into (proper) place; to make sit or lie properly.
To place or arrange in(to) a desired (especially: calm) state, or make final disposition of (something).
To cause to no longer be in a disturbed, confused or stormy; to quiet; to calm (nerves, waters, a boisterous or rebellious child, etc).
To place or arrange in(to) a desired (especially: calm) state, or make final disposition of (something).
To silence, especially by force.
To place or arrange in(to) a desired (especially: calm) state, or make final disposition of (something).
To kill.
To place or arrange in(to) a desired (especially: calm) state, or make final disposition of (something).
To bring or restore (ground, roads, etc) to a smooth, dry, or passable condition.
To become calm, quiet, or orderly; to stop being agitated.
To become calm, quiet, or orderly; to stop being agitated.
To become firm, dry, and hard, like the ground after the effects of rain or frost have disappeared.
To establish or become established in a steady position:
To place in(to) a fixed or permanent condition or position or on(to) a permanent basis; to make firm, steady, or stable; to establish or fix.
To establish or become established in a steady position:
In particular, to establish in life; to fix in business, in a home, etc.
To establish or become established in a steady position:
In particular, to establish in life; to fix in business, in a home, etc.
In particular, to establish in pastoral office; to ordain or install as pastor or rector of a church, society, or parish.
To establish or become established in a steady position:
To formally, legally secure (an annuity, property, title, etc) on (a person).
To establish or become established in a steady position:
To make a jointure for a spouse.
To establish or become established in a steady position:
To become married, or a householder.
To establish or become established in a steady position:
To be established in a profession or in employment.
To establish or become established in a steady position:
To become stationary or fixed; to come to rest.
To fix one's residence in a place; to establish a dwelling place, home, or colony. (Compare settle down.)
To fix one's residence in a place; to establish a dwelling place, home, or colony. (Compare settle down.)
To colonize (an area); to migrate to (a land, territory, site, etc).
To move (people) to (a land or territory), so as to colonize it; to cause (people) to take residence in (a place).
To sink, or cause (something, or impurities within it) to sink down, especially so as to become clear or compact.
To clear or purify (a liquid) of dregs and impurities by causing them to sink.
To sink, or cause (something, or impurities within it) to sink down, especially so as to become clear or compact.
To cause to sink down or to be deposited (dregs, sediment, etc).
To sink, or cause (something, or impurities within it) to sink down, especially so as to become clear or compact.
To render compact or solid; to cause to become packed down.
To sink, or cause (something, or impurities within it) to sink down, especially so as to become clear or compact.
To sink to the bottom of a body of liquid, as dregs of a liquid, or the sediment of a reservoir.
To sink, or cause (something, or impurities within it) to sink down, especially so as to become clear or compact.
To sink gradually to a lower level; to subside, for example the foundation of a house, etc.
To sink, or cause (something, or impurities within it) to sink down, especially so as to become clear or compact.
To become compact due to sinking.
To sink, or cause (something, or impurities within it) to sink down, especially so as to become clear or compact.
To become clear due to the sinking of sediment. (Used especially of liquid. Also used figuratively.)
Of an animal: to make or become pregnant.

Examples

After a heated debate, they decided to settle their word dispute with a dictionary.
clear weather settles the roads
He has settled with his creditors.
His fears were settled
Plymouth was settled in 1620.
She hopes to settle and questions about the plans.
The chips in the bag of potato chips settled during shipping.
the French first settled Canada
The hawk settled on a branch.
the Puritans settled New England
The question of the succession to a throne needs to be settled.
The roads settled late in the spring.
the Saxons who settled in Britain
The weather settled.
They settled down at an inn.
to settle a bill
to settle a minister
to settle a quarrel
to settle coffee, or the grounds of coffee
to settle her estate
to settle my affairs
to settle the chips in the potato chip bag by shaking it
to settle the sediment out of the water
Wait until the crowd settles before speaking.
wine settles by standing

Origin / Etymology

From a merger of two verbs:
* Middle English setlen, from Old English setlan (“to settle, seat, put to rest”), from Old English setl (“seat”) (compare Dutch zetelen (“to be established, settle”)) and
* Middle English sahtlen, seihtlen (“to reconcile, calm, subside”), from Old English sahtlian, ġesehtlian (“to reconcile”), from Old English saht, seht (“settlement, agreement, reconciliation, peace”) (see saught, -le).
German siedeln (“to settle”) is related to the former of the two verbs, but is not an immediate cognate of either of them.

Synonyms

adjudicate, conciliate, decide, descend, determine, ensconce, fall, finalise, finalize, get back, go down, go under, locate, make up, nail down, patch up, reconcile, resolve, root, settee, settle down, sink, square off, square up, steady down, subside, take root, adjust, arrange, compose, discharge, dispose, dispose of, establish, fix, regulate

Antonyms

float, agitate, disturb, remove, wander

Scrabble Score: 6

settle: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
settle: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
settle: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 7

settle: valid Words With Friends Word